Super-Fine Detail (SFD): A Primer - Kofron Photographykofronphotography.com/public docs/SFD.pdf ·...
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30-April-2017 Page 1 of 8 Super-Fine Detail (SFD): A Primer Introduction SFD or Super Fine Detail is a sophisticated exposure bracketing and processing technique that combines the best parts of seven (7) bracketed exposures to deliver the highest quality finished image. Images produced using SFD have fewer issues with blown highlights and shadow noise. SFD can capture up to 6 more stops of light than a single image. Although conceptually similar to High Dynamic Range (HDR), SFD preserves far more detail. • SFD is an excellent tool where very large prints are to be produced and/or where fine detail is extremely important. It is an especially useful tool for macro photography. • SFD works with Quattro cameras only - sd Quattro, sd Quattro H and dp Quattro. • At present, SFD does not handle subject or camera motion, so it is recommended for use only with still subjects, and care should be taken to eliminate camera shake/vibration. We recommend that you review the sections in this document that address improving equipment stability, reducing motion and vibration, and selecting suitable subjects. Note: This document assumes you have some experience with the Sigma cameras and with the Sigma RAW processor, Sigma Photo Pro (SPP). If you are not experienced with processing Sigma X3F images using SPP, we recommend that you spend some time familiarizing yourself with this product. Also, if you are not familiar with the SD Quattro cameras, we recommend you spend some time with any one of the Quattro cameras shooting RAW before you try SFD. Getting Started What you need to know before using SFD – CAMERA • SFD is turned on and off via the camera menu (2 nd CAMERA Menu, SFD Mode). It says on until you turn it off. It captures seven (7) bracketed RAW shots with one press of the shutter button. With the SD Quattro and the SD Quattro H, there is a lag between the 6th and 7th shot due to the buffer being full, so be sure that the 7th shot has been taken before touching the camera/tripod etc. The dp Quattro series have no such lag. • There is no option in camera to change the number of images in an SFD sequence set. • SFD is compatible with SPP 6.4 or later. Dp series require SPP 6.5.3 or later. • SFD defaults to ISO100. There is no option to use any other ISO value. • SFD produces a file with the extension X3I and an approximate size of 350 MB for sd Quattro and 500MB for sd Quattro H. The file has the seven bracketed X3F files integrated and ready for processing. This set of all seven RAW images is called the Default Sequence Set. • The X3I file uses portions of the standard X3F format. • The X3I file has a single embedded JPEG preview that is taken from one of the X3Fs. The thumbnail image that you see of the X3I is not a composite of the seven shots.
Transcript of Super-Fine Detail (SFD): A Primer - Kofron Photographykofronphotography.com/public docs/SFD.pdf ·...
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Super-FineDetail(SFD):APrimer
IntroductionSFDorSuperFineDetailisasophisticatedexposurebracketingandprocessingtechniquethatcombinesthebestpartsofseven(7)bracketedexposurestodeliverthehighestqualityfinishedimage.ImagesproducedusingSFDhavefewerissueswithblownhighlightsandshadownoise.SFD
cancaptureupto6morestopsoflightthanasingleimage.AlthoughconceptuallysimilartoHighDynamicRange(HDR),SFDpreservesfarmoredetail.
• SFDisanexcellenttoolwhereverylargeprintsaretobeproducedand/orwherefinedetailisextremelyimportant.Itisanespeciallyusefultoolformacrophotography.
• SFDworkswithQuattrocamerasonly-sdQuattro,sdQuattroHanddpQuattro.
• Atpresent,SFDdoesnothandlesubjectorcameramotion,soitisrecommendedforuseonlywithstillsubjects,andcareshouldbetakentoeliminatecamerashake/vibration.Werecommendthatyoureviewthesectionsinthisdocumentthataddressimproving
equipmentstability,reducingmotionandvibration,andselectingsuitablesubjects.
Note:ThisdocumentassumesyouhavesomeexperiencewiththeSigmacamerasandwiththe
SigmaRAWprocessor,SigmaPhotoPro(SPP).IfyouarenotexperiencedwithprocessingSigmaX3FimagesusingSPP,werecommendthatyouspendsometimefamiliarizingyourselfwiththisproduct.Also,ifyouarenotfamiliarwiththeSDQuattrocameras,werecommendyouspendsometimewith
anyoneoftheQuattrocamerasshootingRAWbeforeyoutrySFD.
GettingStartedWhatyouneedtoknowbeforeusingSFD–CAMERA
• SFDisturnedonandoffviathecameramenu(2ndCAMERAMenu,SFDMode).Itsaysonuntilyouturnitoff.Itcapturesseven(7)bracketedRAWshotswithonepressoftheshutterbutton.WiththeSDQuattroandtheSDQuattroH,thereisalagbetweenthe6thand7th
shotduetothebufferbeingfull,sobesurethatthe7thshothasbeentakenbeforetouchingthecamera/tripodetc.ThedpQuattroserieshavenosuchlag.
• ThereisnooptionincameratochangethenumberofimagesinanSFDsequenceset.
• SFDiscompatiblewithSPP6.4orlater.DpseriesrequireSPP6.5.3orlater.
• SFDdefaultstoISO100.ThereisnooptiontouseanyotherISOvalue.
• SFDproducesafilewiththeextensionX3Iandanapproximatesizeof350MBforsdQuattroand500MBforsdQuattroH.ThefilehasthesevenbracketedX3Ffilesintegratedandready
forprocessing.ThissetofallsevenRAWimagesiscalledtheDefaultSequenceSet.
• TheX3IfileusesportionsofthestandardX3Fformat.
• TheX3IfilehasasingleembeddedJPEGpreviewthatistakenfromoneoftheX3Fs.ThethumbnailimagethatyouseeoftheX3Iisnotacompositeofthesevenshots.
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WhatyouneedtoknowbeforeusingSFD–SPP
Inthisdocumentwerefertofourwindows.TheMainWindowdisplaysX3Iand/orX3Ithumbs.The
ReviewWindowisthestandard(default)windowforprocessingX3FandX3IRAWfiles.TheX3IEditWindowismulti-functionalwindowforcustomworkandX3Fextractionandisdiscussedindetaillater.TheAlternateReviewWindowisusedforlimited-choiceprocessingofX3Ionlyandis
discussedlater.
Therearetwooptionswhichshouldbesetbeforestarting.TheyareaccessedfromtheMAINWINDOWbyclickingtheFiletabandselectingPreferences.Thefirst,X3IFileSetting,setswhichwindowopenswhenyoudouble-clickintheMAINWINDOWonanX3Ithumbnailimage-theX3I
EDITWindowortheREVIEWWINDOW.Thesecond,ApplicableAdjustmentSetting(X3I),setsprocessingtype(AutoorDefaultX3I)whenyouopentheX3IfileintheREVIEWWINDOW.
• InordertoseeX3IimagefilesintheMAINWINDOW(thumbnails),clickontheViewtabandselecteither:DisplayAllFormats,DisplayStillOnlyorDisplayX3IOnly.
• TheX3IcanbeprocessedintheREVIEWWINDOWandwiththesameeditingoptionsasanX3Ffile.WhentheX3Ifileisfirstproduced,thesevenX3FshavebeenintegratedandtheX3I
fileisreadytobeprocessedusingallsevenimages.
• IntheX3IEDITWINDOWyoucanprocesstheX3Iwithitsdefaultset(7images)orreview
individualX3Fsandbuildasmallerset.TheminimumX3Fsinacustomsequencesetisthree(3).Twodifferentprocessingwindowsareavailablefromthiswindowandaredetailedbelow.
• IntheX3IEDITWINDOWyoucanalsoexportoneoralloftheembeddedX3FsfromtheX3Iandprocessthemasstand-alonefiles.
• TheX3IfilecontainsanembeddedJPEGfromoneoftheX3FfileswhichcanbeextractedviaSPPinthesamewayaJPEGisextractedfromanX3Ffile.IntheMAINWINDOW,eitherright-
clickthethumborhighlightthethumbandselecttheoptionfromtheFiletab.
X3IfileshavethefollowingdefaultsettingsinSPP:
• Detailissetto0.00(Smooth).
• NRChromaandLuminance,0.00
• Contrast-2.0;Shadow+2.0;Saturation-0.3;Sharpness,-2.0;
• HighlightControl(nottobeconfusedwithTonalHighlightslider)andOverexposureAdjustmentarenotenabled.
• Allotheradjustmentsaresetto0orleftunset.
X3Ffileshavethefollowingdefaultsettings:
• Detail0.50;HighlightControl1.0(nottobeconfusedwithTonalHighlightslider).
• NRChroma,.50andNRLuminance,.50(MidPoints)
• Allotheradjustmentsaresetto0orleftunset.
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• YouCANNOTedit/changethesettingsoftheembeddedX3Ffileswhiletheyarewithinthe
X3Ifile.Youcanexportthemandeditthemindividually.YoucannotimportanexportedX3F
backintotheX3Ifile.
ProcessingOptions
ProcessingfromtheMAINWINDOW
ProcessingoptionsarethesameasthoseforanX3Ffileexceptthosenotedabove.SinceyouareinthedefaultREVIEWWINDOW,thereisnowaytochangetheSequenceSetintheX3Ifilefromthis
window.TherearefourwaystoopentheREVIEWWINDOWfromtheMAINWINDOW.
1. Double-clickthethumbnailimage.ThisoptionmustbesetinthePreferencessectionoftheMAINWINDOW.
2. Right-clickandchooseReviewImageColor.
3. Right-clickandchooseReviewImageMonochrome.Colorimagesareconvertedto
Monochrome.
4. Right-clickandchooseOpenNewReviewWindow.
ProcessingfromtheX3IEDITWindow
ThefunctionswhichcanbeperformedfromtheX3IEDITWINDOWare:
1. ReviewembeddedX3Ffiles-thumbsorlargersize.ThelargersizeisespeciallyhelpfulinselectingwhichindividualX3Ffilesaretobeusedwhencreatingacustomsequenceset.You
canalsoadjustbrightness.
2. Buildandintegrateacustomsequencesetcomposedofbetween3and7X3Fs.
3. ProcesstheX3IfileusingthedefaultorcustomsequencesetintheREVIEWWINDOWwithfulleditingoptions.
4. ProcesstheX3IfileusingthedefaultorcustomsequencesetintheALTERNATEREVIEWWINDOW,asmallerwindowlimitedtochoicesofX3F,Auto,orCustom.Noindividual
edits/adjustmentscanbemade.
5. ExtractoneorallX3FsfromtheX3Ifileforindividualprocessing.
OpeningtheX3IEditWindow:
TherearetwowaystoopenanX3IintheX3IEDITWINDOWfromtheMAINWINDOW.ThewindowwillopenwiththesevenembeddedX3FsdisplayedonthebottomasthumbsandnumberedfromlefttorightasX3Inumberwith_1to_7appended.
1. Right-clickonthethumbandselectOpeninX3IEditWindow.
2. Clickthethumbnail,clicktheFiletabandthenselectOpeninX3IEditWindow.
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X3IEditWindowuponOpening
ReviewingX3Fthumbs
1. ClickathumbnailimagetoshowitintheDISPLAYPANE;thedefaultsizeisFIT.ToreturnanimagetoFIT,double-clicktheimageorclicktheFiticononthebottomofthescreen.
Therearethreeoptionsformagnifyingtheimageandtwooptionsforadjustingbrightness.
2. Right-clickontheimageintheDISPLAYPANEfor400%,200%,Actual,andFit.
3. SelectthesliderunderthethumbsandtotherightoftheFitbuttonforaseriesfrom12.5%
to800%.
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4. ClickontheimageintheDISPLAYPANEandtheimagewillbemagnified.Double-clickand
thesizereturnstoFIT.
5. YoucantemporarilychangebrightnessbyclickingontheViewtabandselectingAdjustingImageBrightness.Thisbuttonisasingle-actionon/off.Overexposedwillhavebrightnessreduced;underexposed,increased.
6. YoucanalsoclickBrightnessbuttontotheleftoftheMagnificationslider.Thisbuttonisa
single-actionon/off.Overexposedwillhavebrightnessreduced;underexposed,increased.
X3IEditWindowWithDisplayPaneMagnification
(Rightportioncroppedout)
BuildingtheIntegrationFile
Bydefault,allsevenX3FsareintegratedintotheX3I.Allseventhumbshavetickedboxesindicatingtheyareintegratedorreadytobeintegrated.TheminimumnumberofX3Fsthatmustbeselected
tobuildandintegrateacustomsequencesetisthree.Thisisatwo-stepprocess.
Choose(bytickingandun-tickingthethumbs).ThenintegrateeitherbyclickingtheFiletabandselectingSaveIntegrationFlagInformation;orbyclickingontheX3IButtonatthetopofthescreenandjusttotheleftoftheCheckbutton.Ifyouseethe“NoImagesSelected”messagewhiledoing
this,ignoreit.ThismessageisrelatedtohighlightingtheX3Fimagesforextractionwhichwillbeexplainedbelow.
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Note:Whenyoubuildandintegrateacustomsequenceset,youarenotdeletingtheX3Fsthatyou
havenotincluded.Conceptuallyyouareflaggingtheonesyouwanttobeusedintheprocessing.Theothersarejustignoredduringtheprocessing.
WARNING:Ifyoubuildacustomsequencesetandintegrateit,andthendecidetogobacktodefault(sevenimages),youmustticktheonesyouhaveun-tickedandre-integratetheseven.Closingand
reopeningSPPwithoutdoingsodoesnotresetthesequencesettodefault(7images).
ProcessingtheintegratedX3IfileintheREVIEWWINDOW
ClicktheFILEandthenselectReviewImages.Youwillgetawarningmessageifyouhavenotintegratedatleastthree(3)images.Ifyouhavenotintegratedyourchoices,themessage,“IntegrateX3Ffiles?”willbedisplayed.MakesureyourticksarecorrectandthenclickYes,evenifyouhave
donethisalready.TheX3IEDITWINDOWisthenclosedandtheREVIEWWINDOWisopenedwithyourX3Ifile.EditingoptionsarethesameaswithanX3Ffile.
ProcessingtheintegratedX3IfileintheAlternateREVIEWWINDOW
ClicktheJPEGTIFFbuttonatthetopleftorclicktheFiletabandthenselectSaveImagesAs.Youwillgetawarningmessageifyouhavenotintegratedatleastthree(3)imagesandyoumaygetthe
"IntegrateX3Ffiles?"message.MakesureyourticksarecorrectandthenclickYesevenifyouhavedonethisalready.Awindowwillbedisplayedabovethethumbswiththreeoptions.Youcannotdoanytypeofeditingyourself.JustsitbackandwaitandenjoyacupofJava.
• X3I/X3F-Theassociated(savedordefault)X3Isettingsareused.YouhaveachoiceofG1,
G2,orG3forcolor.DefaultsettingsarelistedintheGettingStartedsectionabove.
• Auto-Thesettingsarecomputedautomaticallyandappliedtotheimage.
• Custom-Ifyouhaveacustomsetting,adrop-downallowsyoutoselectitfromyourlist.ForinformationoncreatingacustomsettingrefertotheSPPHelpManual.
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AlternateReviewWindow
ExtractingindividualRAWfilesforprocessingbySPPorforusewithexternaleditor/browser
1. OpentheX3IfileintheX3IEditWindow.Highlighttheone(s)youwanttoextract.
Note:ThetickmarksareforselectingwhichX3Fsareusedonlytobuildthesequenceset.
2. ClicktheEdittabandchooseCopytheX3FofSelectedFrames.PastethemCTRL+V/CMD+V)
(Windows/Mac)intothewindowFinder/Explorerwindowofyourchoice.YoucanpasterightintotheopenMAINWINDOW.YouwillnotseetheX3FfilesunlessyouhaveyourViewoptionssetappropriately.Youcanalsohighlight,CTL+C/CMD+CandpasteCTL/CMD+Vor
highlightandclicktheX3Fbutton(right-mostbuttonoftopgroup)andthenandthenpasteCTL/CMD-V.Thefolderyoupasteintomustbeopenandnotjusthighlightedorback-lit.
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ForABetterSFDShot
EquipmentandSet-up
SFDatthisstagedoesnothandlemovementwell.Ittakesthecameraabout7to8secondstotakeall7shots.Partofthistimeisthelagbetweenthe6thand7thshotwhichoccurswiththesdQuattro,andsdQuattroHbutnotwiththedpQuattroseries.Ifyouhaveunexpectedmotion
artifacts,youmaywanttotryexcludingthelastshotwhenyouprocesstheX3Ifile.
Donottryshootingwithoutsomekindofsolidsupport.Asgoodasyoumaybeathand-holding,youcannotprovideasolidsupport.TurnoffOSasitwillnothelpyou.Asolidtripodwithastrongheadisextremelyimportant.Thebasesupportforyourtripodisequallyimportant.Thefirmerandmore
rigidthegroundthebetteroffyouwillbe.Hillsareinherentlylessstablethanlevelground.
Balancingyoursystemforeandaftisanotheractionthatcanhelpreduceshake/vibration.Heavylensesshouldhaveacollarwhichcanbeusedforbalancingandforrotationwhenshootingverticaloroff-axisshots.Sincesomeveryheavylensesdonothavecollars,anArca-Swisstypemountwith
anextralongcollarcanhelpwithbalancing.
Reducethechanceofvibrationorshakeduetothepressureontheshutterbutton.Usea10-seconddelayandbackawayfromthecamerauntilyouareabsolutelycertainthatallshotshavebeentaken.
SubjectSelection
• Subjectswithhighdynamicrange—deepshadowsandbright/stronghighlightswillgetthegreatestbenefitfromSFD.Its7bracketedshotsenableittopulldetailoutofdeepshadow
andreduceandrecoverdetailfromblownhighlights.
• FlatlightcanalsobenefitasSFDintegratesthebestdetailfromeachexposure.Thesameappliestohigh-overcastimages.
• Avoidanyshotswithmotion.Naturallythisincludesanytypesofaction/sportsshots.
• Cloudscanbeanissuealsoasalthoughtheymaynotappeartobemoving,veryfewcloudsstaystillforverylong.Thisisalsotrueofleaves,branchesandpeople.
